The search for the perfect pair of denim pants
Hello!
It has been a while. I apologize for not serving you with new posts. Life was lifing, I guess.
If you’ve been reading me for a while, then you already know about my love for denim. As of now, I own several denim pants, a denim skirt, two denim dresses, two denim jackets… and yes, even a denim boubou. At this stage, I might as well admit it: I’m obsessed with the fabric.
Recently, I got tired of rotating the same old pairs and decided it was time to invest in a new one. Well, no one warned me how difficult it is to find the perfect pair of jeans.
Growing up, my Dad would always buy me jeans. And when I was a teenager, I favored oversized denim as it was fashionable, but then I thought it would hide my curves. Once I moved to Japan and had my own money to shop, it was very difficult to find a good pair. I used to think I was “overweight” (in hindsight, that’s a whole conversation on its own). I got lucky a few times, yet something was always off. The waist would be too tight, the legs too loose… or worse, that annoying gap at the back of the waist. Over the years, as I moved to different countries, I settled on skinny jeans—the stretch worked well with my curves. But let’s be honest, sometimes you just want a good pair of loose-fitting jeans that still look put together.
For years, my holy grail was these men’s Pull&Bear jeans I thrifted at the market. That pair was everything. I would wear it on any occasion: to run errands, or for casual nights out. It felt like home. But time did its thing. The waist got too loose, the fabric wore down, and eventually… a hole appeared in the inner thigh area. It was time to let go.
So I went on a little denim hunt around town. My stops: Numero Uno (they were having a sale), Kiabi, and Megamax.
At Numero Uno, I could not find anything. I spotted a beautiful, dark, sturdy pair of denim, but it was a size 44 with zero stretch. Let’s just say that I have not been a size 44 in a long time.
Kiabi didn’t do me any favors either. I found a pair that looked promising: a pair of cuff-hem denim pants that reminded me of the 50s. I couldn’t even button it. At that point, I briefly considered enrolling in a gym to finally get rid of my fuppa.
Then came Megamax. Hope was restored (or so I thought). They had rows and rows of denim from brands like American Eagle, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Calvin Klein. I must have tried on at least seven pairs. And still, nothing fit exactly the way I wanted. In the end, I settled for two pairs: a high-waisted one with crystals, and a very baggy, wide-leg one. I already knew I’d have to get creative once I got home.
For the baggy one, I moved the button slightly to the side to create a wrap-style effect. I had seen something similar trending at Zara. With a belt and a long blouse, it works. It’s comfortable, easy, and perfect for relaxed days. The only downside is that it gives me a bit of a belly situation. I would not wear it with a bodysuit anytime soon.
As for the crystal one, it was very tight, especially around the stomach. So I did what needed to be done—I made a small cut at the back and added an elastic band. It’s not perfect, but it’s wearable. And sometimes, that’s enough.
All of this just confirmed one thing: finding the perfect pair of jeans is hard, and for several reasons. First of all, denim sizing is all over the place. Every brand has its own standards, its own cuts—straight, bootcut, curvy, skinny—and somehow, none of them seem to fully understand how a human body works.
Secondly, all bodies are built differently. Even when people wear the same size, their proportions can be completely different, whether it’s the waist-to-hip ratio, leg length, thigh shape, or how weight is carried. A pair might fit perfectly at the waist but feel restrictive on the thighs, while another that sits just right on the hips ends up gaping at the back.
Furthermore, quality denim lasts a lifetime, well, at least the ones made with 100% cotton. Nowadays, denim is made with a mix of cotton and other man-made fabrics to make it more wearable. However, that fabric degrades over time and after a few washes. I had some skinny jeans lose their elasticity after a few washes. Needless to say, this is an inconvenience.
Finally, if you are a sucker for trends, you would want to try every new denim trend out there. I have been tempted to purchase a barrel-leg denim recently. Apparently, they make you look more feminine, whatever that means. However, I am not sure that this style would suit me. It does look great on influencers on Instagram. But that might not be what I need. And that is an issue. If we are blindly following the trends instead of sticking to what suits us best, we will never feel good in our jeans. One should look for a denim style that works for them.
I think the solution is to try every brand of denim out there until you find the one that fits perfectly. And I would recommend that if you find that pair that fits you perfectly and feels like home, to buy it in several washes if available. Quality jeans can last a lifetime. Moreover, we know that brands are famous for discontinuing certain products over time.
If you are not lucky enough to find the right pair, you might want to ask a tailor to fix the ones you have for a better fit. Back when I was living in Japan, Zara would fix your denim for you, either by shortening the length or fixing the gaping waist for a small fee. I am sure your tailor could do the same or make you a brand new pair of pants.
Maybe the perfect jean isn’t the one you find—it’s the one you adjust, adapt, and make your own.
I’m still on the hunt.
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